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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fine · pitcher · march · bark · craft · rock

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. rock — music
  6. craft — boats
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. march — the month
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. fine — all right
  12. march — the month
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bark — to shout
  15. march — music
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. fine — a penalty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com